Air Quality Index - Hudson Valley
What does this measure?
This data presents a historical overview of air quality in New York State on a county level, reviewing Dutchess County, Orange County, Putnam County, Rockland County, and Westchester County. It uses the Air Quality Index (AQI) to categorize daily air quality levels over several years, providing insights into the frequency of good, moderate, and unhealthy air days. The data also includes the maximum AQI recorded, the 90th percentile AQI, and the median AQI, which offer a sense of the range and typical air quality. Furthermore, it breaks down the number of days where specific pollutants, such as ozone (O3), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and in some cases carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), were the primary contributors to the AQI.
Summary Statement
Across New York State and the specified counties (Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester), air quality has generally shown a trend towards more "good" air quality days in recent years compared to earlier periods like 2007 and 2015. While "moderate" air quality days still occur, the number of "unhealthy for sensitive groups" and "unhealthy" days has remained low in recent years, with occasional exceptions. Ozone and fine particulate matter are the most frequently recorded pollutants contributing to AQI exceedances in these areas.
Sources
United States Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality Index Report
http://www.epa.gov/airdata/ad_rep_aqi.html
https://www.epa.gov/outdoor-air-quality-data/air-quality-index-report